Guy Gear: Subnotebook Entertainment Systems

Size or lack thereof, is everything in laptops these days. The subnotebook genre has officially arrived on the tech scene, and with their features and capabilities improving by the minute, there has never been a better time to check into buying one of these ultra-portable powerhouses. Once you have your mini wonder, you are going to want to pick up some add-ons to help turn your subnotebook into a multimedia subnotebook entertainment system.

Guy Gear: Subnotebook Entertainment Systems

Logitech Squeezebox Duet With its iPod-like minimalist design and large range of features, the Squeezebox Duet is one of the finest digital audio streamers on the market and a great way to get your subnotebook entertainment system started. Logitech’s nifty little device can pull any music file off your subnotebook and wirelessly stream it your living-room stereo or anywhere else in your house for that matter. Should you want to keep your subnotebook’s hard drive free of space-eating files, the Squeezebox Duet also works in conjunction with both SIRIUS and XM Satellite Radio, as well as many other internet music services to allow you to stream them as well. The entire package, from the great wireless remote to the bright and detailed color display screen, makes the Logitech Squeezebox a well-thought and extremely high-tech add-on for your subnotebook.

Apple TV With a recent update to version 2.0, the Apple TV device has gone from limited concept to media streaming extraordinaire. Compatible with both the PC and Mac, Apple TV gives you access to any media file on your subnotebook and streams it right to your flat-screen HDTV. Besides just allowing you to view your networked files, Apple TV also offers movie rentals, a dedicated YouTube channel and a silky smooth state-of-the-art 802.11n wireless connection. The 40GB or 160GB hard drive can be used to store purchases from iTunes, keeping your subnotebook speedy and clear. Like everything that Apple does, the presentation and design of the Apple TV unit are impeccable, and it couldn’t be any more user-friendly than it already is. Simple to set up and now more financially feasible than ever, this is a very compelling media bridge between computer and TV.

SimpleTech Signature Mini The SimpleTech Signature Mini hard drive is the ideal compact external drive to match up with your portable and slim subnotebook. Measuring in at a massive 320GB, the SimpleTech Signature Mini is a monster of a travel-size hard drive. SimpleTech Signature Mini also offers smart extras, like 2GB of free online storage and a welcome three-year warranty that helps to prove this external hard drive is not all about good looks. The drive stays cool and runs quietly, and the price is really too reasonable to pass up for the ability to seriously expand your subnotebooks storage capacity.

Altec Lansing Expressionist Bass If you own a subnotebook, you’re not going to want to bog down all that saved desk space with a pair of big, clunky speakers. Altec Lansing has a great combo of innovative and tiny piano-black glossy speakers that skimp on the size, but not on the sound. The Expressionist Bass bring the boom to your computer, as these cone-shaped speakers have a four-inch long subwoofer built in the base of each cone, and deliver rich and nuanced bass sounds that you would expect from a much larger set. The controls are integrated into the top of the speakers and there are additional inputs for connecting to a DVD, CD or MP3 player in addition to your subnotebook.

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